Union Home Minister Amit Shah came down heavily on the Congress party after MP KC Venugopal made ‘personal attack’ against him in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Constitutional Amendment Bills. Taking to X, Shah said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ready to bring himself in the ambit of the law, then PM Indira Gandhi brought a bill to shield PM from any legal action. Shah said that the people of the country need to decide whether it is right for a minister, chief minister, or prime minister to run a government from jail? Shah’s remark was seen as a veiled attack on former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who did not resign even after being arrested in the alleged Delhi excise policy case.
“On one hand, PM Narendra Modi Ji has introduced a constitutional amendment to bring himself into the ambit of law. On the other hand, under the leadership of Congress, the entire opposition has opposed it in order to remain above the law, run governments from jail, and cling to power. The nation also remembers the time when, in this very august House, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Ji, through Constitutional Amendment No. 39, granted special privilege to the Prime Minister, ensuring that no legal action could be taken against her,” said Shah.
Sharing a long post on X, Shah said, “On account of the Modi government’s commitment to restoring moral standards in politics and in view of the public resentment towards the menace, today with the Lok Sabha speaker’s permission, I tabled constitutional amendment bills that will prevent people from holding important constitutional positions like Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Union or State Minister while in jail. The purpose is to elevate the declining moral standards and maintaining integrity in politics.”
Shah Slams Congress Culture
Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed the Congress work culture of evading law. “While the Congress’s work culture and policy have been to place the prime minister above the law through constitutional amendments, the BJP’s policy is to bring our own prime minister, ministers, and chief ministers under the ambit of law,” he said.
Taking about the personal remarks made against him by Congress MP KC Venugopal, Shah said, “Today in the House, a Congress leader made a personal remark against me, saying that when the Congress trapped me in a completely fabricated case and had me arrested, I did not resign. I want to remind Congress that I had resigned even before being arrested. I did not hold any constitutional position, even after being released on bail, until the court fully acquitted me. The fake case against me was dismissed by the court with the clear observation that it was motivated by political vendetta.”
Lalu-Rahul Bonhomie Questioned
Amit Shah also questioned Rahul Gandhi for his renewed affection towards the former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav. “The very same Lalu Prasad Yadav Ji, to safeguard whom from the law the Congress party had once brought an ordinance, a move that was opposed by Shri Rahul Gandhi too—is being embraced by Rahul Gandhi at Gandhi Maidan in Patna today. The people clearly understand this double standard,” said Shah.
The Union Home Minister claimed that the BJP and the NDA have always stood for moral values. “It was already made clear that this bill would be referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Parliament for detailed discussion, yet the entire INDI Alliance, under Congress’s leadership, shamelessly united to oppose it in a disgraceful manner to shield corruption. Today the Opposition stands completely exposed before the people,” said Shah.
What Are The Changes Proposes Under the Bill?
According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the three bills will bring into effect the following regulations:
1. No person who is arrested and in jail can function as Prime Minister, Chief Minister, or Minister in the Union or State Government.
2. When the Constitution was framed, its makers could not have imagined that in the future, political leaders would refuse to resign on moral grounds even after being arrested. In recent years, the country has witnessed shocking instances where chief ministers or ministers continued to run governments from jail without resigning.
3. The bills also provide that an accused politician must obtain bail within 30 days of arrest. If they fail to secure bail within 30 days, then on the 31st day, either the Prime Minister or the Chief Minister will have to remove them; otherwise, by law, they will cease to remain eligible to function. Once granted bail through due legal process, such leaders may be reinstated to their positions.